Doetje Jans Sjoeks, the third child and only daughter
of Jan Pieters Sjoeks and Wytske Roelofs Hoogland Sjoeks was born January
6, 1873 in Driesum, Friesland, Netherlands. The eleven-year-old sailed with
her family to the United States and lived with them in the Dutch farming
settlements in Ottawa County, Michigan.

One can only imagine the family life of the Sjoeks in those first years in
America. As Della (her Anglicized name) raised her own children she would
tell them “Idle hands do the Devil’s work.” She would often recount how her
mother was never idle and expected the same from Della including knitting
while her father read the scriptures daily. However, Della was not destined
to live on a farm but in the city and eventually be a lay preacher’s wife.

Pieter and Roelof Sjoeks in their late teens left the farm for Grand Rapids,
Michigan to work for wages. In that era a well-trained domestic could earn
a decent living upon proving herself. Wytske’s early training of her daughter
served Della well, and with her older brothers nearby she too set off for
the big city. Ralph became a bookkeeper at the Westside Hardware owned by
Thys Stadt and introduced his sister to Mr. Stadt’s dapper son Henry. They
married October 30, 1893. It is rumored that Della's father was not pleased
with these events, and the fact that there is more record of their 50th wedding
anniversary than their wedding lends credence to this family hearsay.

Between 1894 and 1915 five children were born: Theodore, Winifred, Henrietta,
John and Kathryn.

Henry Stadt worked in the hardware business for a number of years, but in
1917 he and Della were converted from the Reformed faith to the Plymouth
Brethren. The remainder of Della’s life was spent as a Lay Preacher’s wife,
a not inconsiderable role in her husband’s chosen career path. Lay Preachers
are often away from home for extended periods ministering to other fellowships.
Travel at that time was not as swift as it is now so Della was often left
to care for her home and family on her own. It was also her duty to host
other Lay Preachers when they came to the Gospel Hall where Della and Henry
were members. She was renowned for her hospitality, particularly her wonderful
meals.

In 1941 she and Henry were the leaders in founding Rest Haven Home in Alpine,
Michigan. They saw the need among the elderly of their faith for care in
their declining years, and for nearly two years Della and her daughter Kathryn
cared for as many as eleven at a time in the Stadt’s home. Then with the
opening of Rest Haven she continued to serve. It is still in existence today,
and Kathryn died there in 1999 as well as Della’s 3rd child, Henrietta, in
1996.

Theo died at age 34 in 1928, John in 1981 in Tracy City, TN and Winifred
in 1973 in North Carolina.

Kathryn did not marry until both her parents were gone. Henry died while
participating in a church service in Flint, MI March 20, 1952 and Della passed
away quietly at her home in Grand Rapids July 3, 1960.

This story was submitted by Marilyn Houseman, wife of Ronald Houseman,
grandson of Della Shooks Stadt.